The Jedi Factor
by 157 yrs
Summary: Follows the immediate events of Backlash. The close proximity between Ben Skywalker and Vestara triggers several alternate futures for her. Ben x Vestara One Shot


**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or anything related to it**

"Your son is very busy today, Master Skywalker." Vestara commented to Luke casually. The Jedi in questioned gave her a passing glance before his eyes moved back to the cockpit controls. She could sense that while he wasn't uneasy, per say, he clearly didn't trust her.

"Ben is a Jedi. Many responsibilities lie on his shoulders. He doesn't always have time to sit around and keep you company." Was all Luke said. Vestara heard the meaning behind his words: I'm using Ben's status as a Jedi as an excuse to keep him busy and away from you.

Vestara smirked.

"Well played Jedi." Was all she commented, before leaving the cockpit. Glancing out into space, she was comforted to know that the Sith fleet was keeping match with them. Soon they would be back within the maw.

"I'm going to meditate." Was all she said before leaving.

It's still shamed her when days ago Ben had asked her about meditation.

Truthfully, her people rarely mediated in peaceful force trances. When guidance from the force was necessary, one could always find it in the midst of a duel or physical exercise. Sith had no time for peace.

But when she looked into Skywalker's blue eyes something uncomfortable grew in the pit of her stomach and suddenly she wanted to impress him. She recalled how she had boastfully informed him that Sith mediate all the time.

She regretted telling him that because now she had to keep her lie in check and force herself into a vulnerable position for hours and hours and hope that the force spoke to her. So far she had little success.

When she had reached her cot farther down in the cabin, she sat in front of it on the floor and crossed her legs in a meditative position.

Her thoughts were on Ben again though she knew that her focus should be on the mission at hand...

_She had no control of where the force took her and what it showed her..._

"_Please don't do this Ben." She begged. Ben said nothing but continued to hold his pose, blue light saber in hand as the Sith closed in around him. His father's body lie motionless on the floor. He wasn't going to surrender and Vestara knew that once this battle was over there would be no more Skywalkers..._

_They were landing back on her home planet, Kesh. The devastation at loosing his father still clouded Ben's mind so her people were generous and kept their mouths shut when the ship ramp opened and the two of them came out hand in hand..._

_They were in a temple – The Jedi Temple- and she was so angry that they had taken her there against her will though deep in her heart she was terrified. _

"_It's ok. There are good people here. No one is going to hurt you." Ben whispered, walking along side her medical pod and holding her hand._

_Abeloth had all but destroyed the Sith fleet and paralyzed her from the hips down. She was helpless and this time she was all but sure that there would be no one coming to rescue her..._

_During the time of the Presentation festival many Keshiri joined the Sith tribe but all paled in comparison when the Skywalker boy stepped forward and passed the competition with flying colors. Vestara had never been so happy..._

_They were back on the Jade Shadow._

"_I don't want to kill you." He told her emotionlessly. Vestara cursed him in her native tongue and charged him with her red light saber in hand. His blue one met her parry. There blows matched one another for a time but eventually she began to lose ground._

_When his blow singed her ankle she fell to her knees and it took all of her strength in the force to block his next attack. Red light saber hissed at blue when the blades crossed, his blue one coming narrowly close to her throat._

"_Do you surrender?" He asked. His blue eyes begged her not to make him kill her..._

_They were back in the Jedi Temple. With time and healing the paralysis left her. They were dueling in one of the temple's smaller, private rooms. _

_Protocol required them to practice in jumpsuits for safety but neither of them were wearing the vest. Instead they wore the jumpsuit pants and sleeveless shirt. _

"_Do you surrender?" Ben asked, smiling in delight that he had finally cornered the girl in a duel and quite literally pinned her to the floor. His blue blade was inches from her throat. The only thing that stood in his blade's path was her green one._

"_Never." She told him passionately. _

_Unexpectedly he turned his light saber off._

"_What are you doing?" She asked him in frustration. Her protests died in her throat however when he knelt down and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek..._

_It was raining heavily on Kesh when Ben was summoned by High Lord Taalon._

"_What do you think he wants?" Ben asked nervously. Vestara hid a smile knowing that he was about to be honored in being selected as High Lord Taalon's apprentice._

"_I do not know." She lied as they approached the doors._

"_But whatever you do be respectful. Every move you make – every word you speak will be evaluated. Do not fail yourself." They stood there awkwardly for a moment before Vestera leaned in and kissed his cheek._

"_For luck. Although I do not think you need it." She explained...._

Vestara jerked out of her trance. When her eyes came into focus they hurt and she knew that if she tried to move right away she would fall over. There was a good chance that her body had cramped up.

Not surprisingly, Ben Skywalker stood on the opposite side of the ship's cabin studying her. There was no sign to indicate how long he had been watching her.

"What time is it?" She asked him, instead.

"You've been mediating for nearly twenty two hours. What has the force shown you?" He asked in curiosity.

"Only what it wanted to show me." She replied with her savvy words. Ben shrugged and started to walk away.

"You know, for a moment you sounded like a Jedi." He joked before moving out of sight. Vestara fought back a shudder as visions of her in the Jedi temple passed though her mind. When she looked up again, she was surprised to see Luke Skywalker watching her from the cockpit.

His eyes were unreadable.


End file.
